Corkey Trivia: Life in Hawaii 50 Years Ago
I remember walking to Enchanted Lakes Elementary school with my brother in our “hanabadda” days. We always walked to school and then ran back home. Mornings were cold back then. When we exhaled, fog would come out of our mouths. We used to practice blowing smoke rings like our dad, who was a smoker back then. My brother was better at it than me. Today, I feel like it is hotter than I remember in the days of my childhood. Upon researching it, I discovered that on Admission Day, the day we became the 50th State on August 21, 1959, it was the hottest day ever recorded in Hawaii. It was a sweltering 92 degrees.
In 1959, Kailua was considered “the country.” To get there you had to drive over the Old Pali Road. It was a very narrow windy road which wove up and over the Nuuanu side of the mountain and down the Kailua side. They didn’t even start building the Pali Tunnels until after statehood. In those days, people were careful about not carrying pork over the Pali unless you wanted something supernatural to happen.
In 1959, you could get a brand new 2-cylinder, 2-door, Rambler Wagon for $754. You could then drive your new Rambler on King and Beretania streets in any direction you wanted because they were still two way streets at the time. You could even drive both ways on Hotel street since it was not restricted to buses back then either.
Bowling was a big in sport in 1959. Thirty-five percent of all Honolulu families were bowling back then. Arnold Palmer was the Tiger Woods of that time. In the summer, people would go to the 49th State Fair to ride rides, play games and eat cotton candy. The name of the Fair didn’t change to the 50th State Fair until after we actually became a state. At the time, everybody thought we would be the 49th state.
For refreshment you could drop into the Primo Beer Garden in Aiea and drink Primo from kegs. It was once called, “The beer that made Milwaukee jealous.” Primo’s rival beer in 1959 was “Oly” Olympia Beer which called itself “refreshingly different”. Kids drank Xexchange Orangeade. One small 6 oz. can could make six big glasses of juice, even more if you liked it watery.
In 1959, you could buy a Hicks home with nothing down. A 2 bedroom home sold for $4,990 and a 3 bedroom home sold for $6,690. The homes were “all heart redwood” (which translates to no termites). Hicks Construction Company’s selling points were, “Why pay more.” “We refuse to be undersold.” “Will build it better for less.” Sigh, those were the days.
Ricky Nelson was making girls swoon all across the country. And in 1959, then Crown Prince Akihito (now emperor) married a commoner shattering 2,619 years of imperial Japanese tradition. On their wedding day, it was also the first time foreigners were admitted to the inner palace shrine amidst the swirling petals of the springtime cherry blossom trees.
It was a time of change. KGMB TV and the Honolulu Star Bulletin placed want ads for a “girl” reporter. Evidently, women were a rarity in journalism back then. In those days, the Star Bulletin was about double the size of the Honolulu Advertiser in terms of advertising and circulation.
Oh, and there were only three TV channels in 1959. Sea Hunt with Lloyd Bridges was a popular show which appeared on KGMB at 9PM. The TV stations used to sign off around midnight. Black and White TV was what everyone had. Color TV was new technology at the time and didn’t become popular until after 1961. They say, if you wait long enough, it comes back. Well Primo is back! It even tastes a little better than it did the first time around. Just in time for the 50th birthday of our Aloha State. Happy Birthday! Cheers!
Tags: 1959, 50th anniversary, corkey trivia, hawaii
August 4th, 2009 at 8:03 am
A nice retrospective of life on Oahu in 1959. Thanks.
August 4th, 2009 at 8:44 am
I enjoyed reading this month’s tribute to statehood. In 1976 when I arrived in Hawaii it seemed locals were hellbent on preserving the “status quo” (pecking order!). Now with uku million cars and Starbucks on every corner I wonder where local pride went (Waimanalo?). No more Muu’s on Fridays, but weekly gatherings at The Wine Stop. You really make me feel welcome. Keep up the great work local girl.
August 7th, 2009 at 3:33 pm
Tanks Eh!
August 25th, 2009 at 5:27 am
Wow Liane, great piece on 1959. What is corkey trivia? Is that your column. Again very nice piece. I remember “hanabata days” too, as IZ sings, “35 cents haircut, $1 movie Kaimuki Theatre, trow rocks in da riva”, awesome times. I grew up in Hawaii Kai, the place Bishop Estate “gave” to Henry Kaiser practically and he made Bazillions. We actually lived across the street from Walter Dods, and my dad went over to help him keep his garage roof from blowing off during a “hail storm”, yes Hail, the only time I ever remember that. Life was simpler, going to Maryknoll school before Kamehameha, w/ Moses and Paul Chun, getting “cut” from Alter Boys service, I was bummed, not holy enough I guess. Going to Chinese School and being teased because I wasn’t “pure” blood. Playing basketball and becoming a “jock”, always studying because my Auntie Cella, principle in DOE for 40 yrs now, would “test” us at all family gatherings. That’s probably why I went to Law School, hated it…Sorry, I ramble and write too much, great piece on 1959 and great website and wines…too good SISTA, Aloha, Blaise
August 29th, 2009 at 3:22 pm
Thanks for the props Blaise, Corkey Trivia is kinda like a play on the words Quirky and Cork. It started because, like other people who went to college for a long time with three majors, I happen to know a little about a lot of little bits of information that some might call trivial, but that are interesting for some. It’s kinda like an outlet for me, so that I don’t have to keep bending people’s ears at work, I just write it down instead. We moved to Hawaii Kai too when I was in 6th grade. When was the hail storm? I’m sorry I missed it. I didn’t spend a lot of time at home, maybe I was on that hour and a half bus ride on the Lunalilo Home Road #1 bus, all the way from Kamehameha when it happened. I loved the color purple in the day, and I remember leaving my purple handbag at the bus stop across the street from the Kamehameha terminal bus stop; however, by the time I figured it out, I was passing Iolani Palace already. I jumped on a bus to get back to the terminal, and when I got there, my bag was still there at the public bus stop across the street from the Kamehameha Terminal in Kalihi. My $5 bill was still in it with my ID and everything. Even as a clueless teenager, I knew I was lucky. $5 was a lot in those days. I could see a movie and have a Reuben sandwich at Farrells Ice Cream Parlor with change to spare. Life was safer back then for sure, though not without its hazards. The idea that if it’s not yours, don’t take it was the predominant mode of thought in the day. We didn’t really have to lock our doors when we were young either, though we did it on occasion just to be safe. Congrats on making it to the Golden 50s club. You da bomb bra! Tanks fo come by da uda day. I’m glad you wen like um. Mahalo Nui Loa. A Hui Hou! Liane
September 17th, 2009 at 5:22 pm
I’m so glad I found this site…Keep up the good work I read a lot of blogs on a daily basis and for the most part, people lack substance but, I just wanted to make a quick comment to say GREAT blog. Thanks,
A definite great read…:)
-Bill-Bartmann
September 30th, 2009 at 2:50 am
Generally I do not post on blogs, but I would like to say that this post really forced me to do so, Excellent post!
October 7th, 2009 at 11:06 am
Super-Duper site! I am loving it!! Will come back again – taking your feeds too now, Thanks.